A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 41

Guest Post – My 5 Favorite Fantasy Tropes 一 and Why They Work So Well – Rose Atkinson-Carter

My 5 Favorite Fantasy Tropes 一 and Why They Work So Well

Fantasy novels have long captivated readers with their fascinating worlds, mythical creatures, and heroic quests. It is a genre that expands our imagination and, in doing so, plays an important role in our society.

One of the reasons why so many readers are drawn to it is because of the many tropes it often includes. And while some have been certainly overused, others still powerfully impact the narrative. So, in this post I’m going to share my own 5 favorite fantasy tropes and why I think they’re so effective.

Let’s get right into it.

1. The Reverse Chosen One

One of the most common tropes is that of the Chosen One, in which the main character is destined to fulfill a higher purpose, like saving the world from evil. While this trope can be done well (and will continue to exist as long as we continue to tell stories,) subverting it can make for a more engaging read.

There are different ways to go about it, from having multiple Chosen One characters, to self-declared ones, to Chosen One wannabe, but my personal favorite is the Reverse Chosen One.

In this trope, the protagonist lives in a world where everyone (or some people or creatures) has magical powers except for them. So when facing challenges in their journey, they have to rely on traits like ingenuity or resilience, which are more relatable. An example is Joel in Brandon Sanderson’s The Rithmatist. Despite his dream of becoming a Rithmatist himself, and controlling wild chalklings with magic, his “superpower” is that he has a sharp mind and a burning desire to understand their strategies 一 which is what empowers him to solve problems along the way.

2. Wise Mentors

The mentor archetype in storytelling is a timeless one, and to be honest, I never get bored of it. The mentor is that good friend every hero needs in their journey. It may offer words of wisdom, practical training, or other forms of guidance. More than anything, a mentor helps the protagonist to access their Higher Self when faced with difficult situations, and, ultimately, stand up for themselves. 

In storytelling, and especially in Western narratives, the wise mentor is often linked to a revered old wizard-like figure. Think of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series, or even Master Oogway in Kung Fu Panda. But mentors don’t have to bewrinkled old men (or, in Oogway’s case, old tortoises). In contemporary fantasy, mentors take many forms: they can be female (think powerful witches like Tissaia in The Witcher), exist as an animal companion, a fairy guide, or even a ghost existing solely in dreams (unlike ghostwriters, who help authors in the real world.)

The key thing is that they are interesting characters and that their interaction with the protagonist is fun and unique. Bonus points if they also have some real flaws instead of simply being all-knowing!

3. High-Stakes Magic

Magic is perhaps the distinctive feature of fantasy novels, a genre in which 一 unlike literary fiction 一 everything is possible. However, the best magic trope, for me, is one in which the magic has real consequences for its use, and is therefore not limitless. The character who uses the magic has to pay a price for it, to compensate for its powers. The stronger the magic, the heftiest the price.

In The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles, Dii has to be very careful using magic spells, because if the Order of Witch-Hunters finds out, she is in real trouble. In the 12th book of Robert Jordan’s series The Wheel of Time, Rand al’Thor struggles with his mental sanity as the corruption of using the male half of the One Power starts to compound. And in The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini, Eragon must draw energy from the gems in his sword, or, when that runs out, expend his own physical energy to perform magic, risking exhaustion or death.

Overall, the limitations of magic can be just as interesting, if not more, than the power it provides. Real consequences force the character to make a big moral decision every time they use magic, which generally leads to more nuanced and interesting stories. 

4. The Powerful Artifact

There is something curious about transforming ordinary objects into mysterious and powerful tools that can alter a character’s journey. Whether that’s a cloak granting invisibility, a horn summoning great heroes to battle, or a wardrobe that gives you access to a parallel world, these magical objects help to activate the imagination.

Sometimes they simply add depth and enrich the narrative, but other times they can be primary catalysts for adventure and conflict. The object must be used, retrieved, or destroyed for the greater good, but the character must learn not to become corrupted by it. For example, the Auryn medallion in The Neverending Story by Michael Ende grants its wearer the power to do what they wish, at the cost of losing their memories. This turns the loving Bastian into a much colder and more calculated version of himself, on the brink of forgetting his own name, though he manages to find salvation in the end.

As a whole, artifacts represent our innate desire for the extraordinary and offer a way to explore morality, destiny, and the effects of great power.

5. Complex Villains

Similarly to the Chosen One, another classic trope in fantasy is the evil villain 一 one that just acts as evil apparently for the sake of it. While this figure can serve a purpose in some stories (like morality tales or fables for children), I prefer more morally complex villains that allow for a better exploration of certain themes and dilemmas.

Instead of a power-obsessed actor that only acts out of selfish interest and fear, it’s nice to read about villains with some room for change and redemption. For example, Jaime Lannister starts on a terrible foot in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, but as the story progresses, we see him evolve from a bad actor to one burdened by his choices and seeking redemption. Another famous example is Severus Snape, from the Harry Potter world. While initially portrayed as cruel and insensitive to Harry, we later discover his backstory and understand that he was protecting him all along. And in Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, it’s hard to judge the Darkling’s theoretical mission to protect the Grisha — except in practice, he goes too far.

Even in a fantasy world where everything is possible, I feel that multifaceted antagonists are generally more interesting, as they better represent the gray (as opposed to the black and white) of the human psyche and experience.

So there you have them, my 5 favorite fantasy tropes 一 what are yours and why? Leave your reply below.

Rose Atkinson-Carter is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace and blog that helps authors with everything from finding the best writing software to how to make an audiobook and everything in between.

The Maddie Swallows Mysteries – Blog Tour #Mystery

If you love small towns, quirky characters, and an intriguing whodunit, you’ll love this cozy mystery series!

Dead Before Dinner

A Maddie Swallows Mystery Book 1

by Kat Bellemore

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Green chile has never been more dangerous.

Psychologist Maddie Swallows’ decision to return to New Mexico seemed like a good idea at the time, considering the divorce and her two teenagers she’d dragged along for the ride.

But that was before the New Year’s Eve party she was guilt-tripped into attending. Before a member of the town council wound up dead and everyone at the party became a suspect. And before she was forced to unravel the secrets of her former hometown in order to clear her name.

Of course, with the help of two precocious teenagers and one meddling mother, the real murderer doesn’t stand a chance.

Dead before Dinner is the first book of the Maddie Swallows series. If you love small towns, quirky characters, and an intriguing whodunit, you’ll love this cozy mystery.

Pick up Dead before Dinner and get swept away in this New Mexican mystery series today!

**Start the series for FREE!**

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

Dead Upon Arrival

A Maddie Swallows Mystery Book 2

Flying high in the New Mexican sky has never been more lethal.

The biggest hot air balloon festival would have been a vacation if Maddie didn’t have to balance her apathetic teenagers, a meddling mother, and act as therapist for a desperate patient. Let alone solve a murder case!

When Maddie witnesses someone fall from a hot air balloon, it seems like a tragic accident. But as facts come to light, the police are convinced it’s foul play. And Maddie’s friend is to blame.

With the remainder of the festival canceled and all attendees required to stay for questioning, Maddie has two days to discover the truth behind the murder and free her friend from suspicion.

Dead Upon Arrival is the second book in the Maddie Swallows mystery series. If you like humor, intrigue, and, of course, hot air balloons, you’ll love this cozy mystery.

Grab Dead Upon Arrival and test your whodunit skills today!

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

Dead Before I Do

A Maddie Swallows Mystery Book 3

‘Till Death Do You Part’ wasn’t supposed to be taken so literally…

When Maddie Swallows attends an out-of-town wedding with her best friend, Benji, she expects free food, dancing, and some awkward moments as she tries to figure out her feelings for her long-time friend.

What she finds instead is a dead groom and an entire wedding guest list who had reason to kill the guy.

It doesn’t help that Maddie was the last person to see the groom alive and is placed in the local police’s crosshairs as they work to solve the murder.

It will take some unexpected sleuthing, and a few therapy sessions, for this psychiatrist to prove her innocence, and bring justice to the real killer.

Dead Before I Do is the third book of the Maddie Swallows mystery series. If you love quirky characters, romance, and plenty of intrigue, you’ll love this cozy mystery.

Pick up Dead Before I Do and travel to White Sands National Park for Maddie’s latest mystery today!

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Books2Read * Bookbub * Goodreads

**Coming soon on July 31st!** Dead Among Stars
A Maddie Swallows Mystery Book 4

Kat Bellemore is a small-town romance and cozy mystery author. Deciding to have New Mexico as the setting for two of her series was an easy choice, considering its amazing sunsets, blue skies and tasty green chile. That, and she currently lives there with her husband and two cute kids. They hope to one day add a dog to the family, but for now, the native animals of the desert will have to do. Though, Kat wouldn’t mind ridding the world of scorpions and centipedes. They’re just mean.

You can visit Kat at www.kat-bellemore.com.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$20 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Return of the Scandalous Lady – Blog Tour #HistoricalRomance #Regency

Might a scandalous lady with a warm heart and a lively mind be just what a respectable gentleman needs?

Return of the Scandalous Lady

Perilous Secrets Book 4

by Barbara Monajem

Genre: Historical Regency Romance

Years ago, Frances Templestone left her husband and ran away to France with a lover. Now she’s back, widowed and more mature, but mostly unrepentant. A social pariah, she stays out of sight while her daughter Julia has her first London season.

Until Julia, who is as impetuous as her mother, sneaks out to a masquerade with an unsuitable man. Frances hastens to the rescue, and when she sees Julia about to get into a coach with a handsome stranger, she accuses him—very publicly—of being a rake who ruins innocent girls.

Soon she learns that Jasper, Lord Canterwell, is a respectable man. He wasn’t at the masquerade seeking an easy conquest. On the contrary—his daughter is missing, and he is searching for her everywhere. Aghast, Frances offers to help him. Rudely, he spurns her.

But Frances is determined and Jasper is desperate. Might a scandalous lady with a warm heart and a lively mind be just what a respectable gentleman needs?

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

Don’t miss the rest of the series!

The Smuggler’s Escape

Perilous Secrets Book 1

**Start the series for FREE!!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

His Lordship’s Incorrigible Wife

Perilous Secrets Book 2

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

The Infidelity Curse

Perilous Secrets Book 3

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

USA Today bestselling author and winner of the Daphne, Maggie, Holt Medallion, and Epic awards, Barbara Monajem is the author of more than thirty novels and novellas. She wrote her first story at eight years old about apple tree gnomes. After publishing a middle-grade fantasy, she settled on historical mysteries and romances with intrepid heroines and long-suffering heroes (or vice versa). Sometimes there’s a bit of fantasy mixed in, because she wants to avoid reality as much as possible.

Barbara used to have two items on her bucket list: to make asparagus pudding and to succeed at knitting socks. She managed the first (don’t ask) but doubts she’ll ever accomplish the second. This is not a bid for immortality but merely the dismal truth. She lives near Atlanta with an ever-shifting population of relatives, friends, and feline strays. Learn more at www.BarbaraMonajem.com.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Swift Six Character Interview – Daniel Jacobus -#mystery

Swift Six Set 3 – Character

Name: My name is Daniel Jacobus, with an accent on the “o.” My two friends – Yumi Shinagawa, my former student turned concert violinist, and Nathaniel Williams, my corpulent African-American Watson – call me Jake. People under the misapprehension that I like them call me Daniel, and occasionally people who try to kiss my ass call me Dr. Jacobus, though I’m no more of a doctor than Doctor Dré.

Which book/world do you live in?

I live in the 8-part mystery series named after me, if you want to call that living. You’d think Elias might have bothered to ask me if I wanted to be in his books, but what else is new? Anyway, here are the titles: Devil’s Trill, Danse Macabre, Death & the Maiden, Death & Transfiguration, Playing With Fire, Spring Break, Cloudy With a Chance of Murder, and Murder at the Royal Albert. A lot of murders. Not my problem.

Tell us about yourself: (Name, race/species, etc.)

I’d rather not, but since you insist. I was born in Germany. When I was a kid, my parents shipped me off to New York to study the violin at Juilliard. That saved my life, as they were incinerated at Auschwitz during the War. I was a violinist in the Boston Symphony for a while, but, well, you’ll find out what happened when you read the answer to the next question. Anyway, I became a violin teacher, for better or worse, mainly worse.

How do you see your world?

I don’t see my world, since I’m blind. That happened many years ago, the day I auditioned for concertmaster of the Boston Symphony. Sudden, you know. Career kaput. It happens. That, and my parents’ death, and one other thing I’m not going to get into here, soured my view of the world. Is that surprising?

A better question would be, “How do you hear your world?” Answer, in all its intricate clarity. What one sees is more often than not reality. What one hears more likely reflects the truth and not an “alternate set of facts.” I listen.

What part do you play in this tale?

Elias made me his protagonist for some reason that eludes me. I’m not particularly likeable, as you’ve no doubt already figured out, though I could care less, and the last thing I want to do is solve someone else’s murder. I’d much rather lie on my frayed sofa in my rundown hovel in the Berkshires hills with my slobbering bulldog, Trotsky, listen to my old LPs, and rail against the injustice in the world. But once they get a bee in their bonnet, Yumi and Nathaniel just won’t leave me alone. They drag me all over the place to help them and the police solve crimes that they don’t have the common sense to solve on their own. And, what do I get for it? “Great job, Jake.” That, and acute heartburn.

Do you consider yourself a good person/creature?

I’m somewhere between Mother Teresa and Jack the Ripper.  If you want to know which one I’m closer to, you’ll just have to read the books.

Do you follow any religion?

My family was Jewish, as you might have guessed. Because of what happened to them, I’m almost a total atheist. I would’ve said “total atheist” without the “almost” qualifier, except that I haven’t yet figured out any other way to explain Mozart.

What is your favourite colour/food/music (pick one)?

A pastrami sandwich on rye bread with extra mustard, preferably from the Carnegie Deli, except they’re out of business.

Links to book etc

Website: https://geraldeliasmanofmystery.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gerald.elias

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EliasBooks/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geraldelias504/

Amazon link to books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=books+by+gerald+elias&i=stripbooks&crid=3F2MFVZM0TP5K&sprefix=books+by+gerald+elias%2Cstripbooks%2C149&ref=nb_sb_noss

Fantasy in Our Society – A. L. Butcher

Fantasy – it’s everywhere!

Name: A.L. Butcher

Location: Bristol, Southwestern UK.

How do YOU define fantasy?

Fantasy – a genre where anything and everything is possible; be it magic, mythological beastie, impossible heroes, the folklore and legend that underpins our society and our storytelling.

From the earliest storytellers trying to make sense of a frightening, confusing and dangerous world, to the supreme world-builders such as Tolkien, to the escapism and humour of Terry Pratchett we’ve loved fairytales, magic, lore and legend for thousands of years.

It’s everywhere – from our national legendary heroes such as Robin Hood, King Arthur and St George to the names of our pubs, our libraries, our children’s education, to our language.

Kids read (or are read) fairy-tales, we have Santa Claus, the toothfairy, black dog myths, headless horsemen, the Loch Ness Monster, ghosts aplenty, Green Men, more saints than you can imagine – most of whom did something fantastical – witches, fairies, pixies, dragons, giants, pirates (including Blackbeard who it’s said drank at the Hatchet Inn) and much more. There are two giants that ‘lived’ locally to where I’m based (Goram and Vincent/Ghyston).

I grew up on fairytales, flower fairies, fantasy tales made up by my father, and later Greek and Roman myth, Tolkien and dragons.

Are these genres seen in a more acceptable light than they used to be?

Well fantasy/folklore is hardly new. But I think with the popularity of certain franchises such as Marvel and Harry Potter, fantasy and sci-fi has become more ‘acceptable’ – in that a wider audience has found enjoyment in these. Games, movies, books in the fantasy/sci-fi genre are big business.

What makes a ‘hero’? Would you say this definition is different within literature to real life?

A hero is someone who does what needs to be done to help/save others despite the risk to themselves, or at personal cost, or do something outstanding for the good of others. They don’t need special powers – despite what the books and films might say.

The doctors and nurses who risked their lives in the pandemic to care for others, a man who risked his life getting abandoned animals out of Afghanistan, a humble old man who walked 100 laps of his garden with his walking frame to raise £1000 for the NHS charity and ended up raising £30 million, the explorers who found new lands, and walked on the moon, the scientists who discovered things for the betterment of life – such as penicillin, aspirin, and chemotherapy, the authors, artists and musicians that defied convention to bring new work to us, to those who fought for equality and freedom.

Literary heroes are often (but not always) special – the son/daughter of a god, imbued with magic or superpowers, vastly wealthy, princes (or princesses).

How do you portray heroism in your books?

My heroes are very much anti-heroes – they kill, they steal, they commit crimes in order to help people who can’t help themselves.

Archos and Olek know full well they are not ‘good’ people by the standards of their society, and they do and have done unpleasant things. Yet they stand up for those with no rights and no voice – and try to help where they can and great personal risk.

Dii – I think she’s a hero – despite what has happened to her, and the way she’s been treated she is still kind, selfless and helps those who aren’t really worth her kindness.

How important are ‘facts’ in fantasy – does something need to be plausible to be believable?

It has to be reasonably plausible in the world in which it takes place – although not necessarily deeply explained. If there’s magic then it has to have limits, or at least be hard to use and dangerous. It doesn’t need to be explained WHY there’s magic – but it needs to be consistent and fit the world. If it doesn’t then I think it needs an explanation to the reader.

So, for example in my world of Erana magic exists – I suppose you could say it’s alive or at least has some sentience – people, animals and objects can be magical and exhibit powers or attributes that the mundane don’t possess. However, due to wars and a plague that mostly affected the magical use of magic is outlawed. Magic is dangerous, and tends to do what it wants if given free range. It exacts a price. A mage can’t indefinitely keep using it – the more powerful the more the mage has to pay – with blood, pain, even life. And, of course, if the Order of Witch-Hunters find out then the mage is in big trouble. Magic demands a price. The greater the magic, the greater the price.

I think with fantasy willing suspension of disbelief is needed. Sometimes things happen because they do….

It’s fiction – it doesn’t have to be true or real in our own world.

Science is magic – just magic we understand or accept. Religion is fantasy, just a truth to some people. Truth can be relative.

What science fiction/fantasy has influenced you most?

JRR Tolkien, Homer, Mary Shelley, Janet Morris, Terry Pratchett, ancient myth, the tales my late father used to make up.…

Why I Write Sizzling Sorcery

Why do I write ‘sizzling sorcery’?

I sometimes get asked why I write sizzling sorcery – basically why my fantasy adventures contain adult scenes, and it has caused some interesting conversations. Some people are shocked, a few are offended, some laugh and look embarrassed, some tell me that’s awesome.

When I first published The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I my late mother was in the last stages of cancer. The book was published in early June and she died in mid-September. I’d told my parents about the book, and they were delighted. Neither of them were fantasy readers, or readers of erotica (as far as I know) but they were pleased nonetheless. My mother had told everyone. And I mean EVERYONE. Whether she mentioned the bedroom scenes I have no idea, but my mother’s elderly neighbour visited whilst I was there and asked about the book and could she read it.

I hesitated – this was a lady in her late 60s, I’d known all my life as a neighbour to my parents and I was not sure what she’d make of the ‘naughty’ scenes. I told her she might be a little shocked, it wasn’t a standard fantasy book – there were scenes of a bedroom nature which she might object to. She laughed, and told me she’d been married for 45 years, so there wasn’t a lot she didn’t know…I gave her the book. My mother couldn’t stop laughing.

So why do I write in the bedroom scenes? Primarily because they are fun to write, and fun to read. They lighten the darker tone of the books. But it’s more than that – Dii and Archos, the two main characters are very passionate and sensual, it’s part of who they are and their bond with one another. Dii has been kept as a concubine and required to pleasure men not of her choosing, and now she has a man she loves, who loves her, and who wants to please her. I believe the scenes strengthen their relationship both for the characters and how they are portrayed to the reader.

There are some very dark scenes in the books, but the love, and the playfulness of the characters, the slow build relationship of the naïve Ozena and the worldly Olek, and the magic entwined mages brings an added dimension.

I read a lot of fantasy, and I find sometimes the characters don’t seem like real people. It’s all about finding the magic ring/defeating the dark lord/being the chosen one and there’s no passion in the characters. It’s all business and no pleasure.

I agree, it’s not to everyone’s liking but that’s true of any book. There is always someone who will be offended/dislike it. I like to write what I like to read. I’ve read a few fantasy and historical fiction books that have sexy scenes and they are always fun.

I write sizzling sorcery – because it’s fun, I believe it enriches the characters and because many people like a bit of mischief with their magic.

Excerpt from the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I

Dii could feel his Power, and his concern, real concern, real Power. His heartbeat fast beneath the robe he wore, and she was experienced enough to know the desire he felt. Never before had a man held her close like this, comforting in such a way, and the feeling made her tremble with desire and affection for him. Yet, she felt his loneliness, and although he had never said as much, she knew it to be so. The feelings she felt swirled around her; and she wriggled close to him, needing the comfort of another person, the warmth and touch, yet also providing it.

She looked into his silver-grey eyes, eyes filled with many things: Power, desire and concern, knowledge. She brushed his lips with the tips of her fingers, snuggling into him and letting her head fall against his chest. Gently he kissed her hair and ran his fingers through the curls. Dii let her fingers gently caress the back of his hand, sending little bolts of longing through him. Turning over her hand, he saw the red burns on her wrists, fading and no longer raw but still visible. They would never fade entirely, branded for all time as a mage. Gently he kissed them, tender and kind.

As she leaned into him, Archos slid an arm around her waist. Still murmuring sweet nothings, he gently and almost absently stroked his fingers across her arm. He tipped her face to his and searched it with hungry desire. Her eyes were the darkest blue he had ever seen, eyes like the midnight sky full of mystery and infinitely fascinating. He saw Power yet vulnerability, desire yet shame, and a deep strength. Archos kissed her gently, allowing her the chance to pull away. She did not, but returned his kiss, at first hesitantly and then with fire. Dii pulled away and smiled at him. At that moment, he was completely lost in her spell, her smile almost making her glow in the light of the glowglobe.

“You are so beautiful, Dii, alluring and so deeply desirable. I do not think I have ever desired anything as much as I desire you. Would you let me lie with you this night?” Archos asked, not demanding as so many men had before.

Looking into her eyes, he touched her face. “I know what you were…what the life of a Kept such as you can be. How you may have been…used. I wish for you to give yourself freely, and of your own choice. I would not take from you anything but that which was given by your own will.”

Dii looked at him, unused to such remarks, unused to having choices. She smiled the enchanting smile and touched the hand on her cheek. “I…I would like to feel you close to me, my lord. I would like the comfort of your touch. I would like to feel you, taste you. I see the desire in your eyes and find it reflected in my own. You are so kind to me. I would like to please you.” Her eyes flickered down from his and a blush rose across her face.

Archos touched his other hand over hers and bowed his head to her. “I wish to see your passion and to delight in it, to experience so much with you. Let me distract you from your nightmares, bring you to the edge of ecstasy and beyond.” Archos gently ran his finger down the edge of her jaw, sending a little tingle of desire through her, and he tilted her face to his softly brush her lips with his fingers.

The beautiful mage smiled again with the light of desire and mischief lighting her eyes, her confidence returning. Kissing his hand, she sucked on the ends of his fingers. “My Lord Archos that depends on how much of a distraction you can provide does it not?”

He kissed her and laughed. “That remains to be seen. I feel that you would be kind enough to inform me should I not provide suitable…distraction. If indeed this is the case, I pray you indulge me to beg your leave to try again until you are satisfied. Or perhaps it will be the case that you will beg me to take you again.”

Dii snaked her hand beneath his clothing, swirling her nails across his chest. “You are sure of yourself indeed.” As her hand began to circle, Archos kissed her again, a kiss loaded with passion and desire. He cupped her breast and gently circled her nipple through the soft cloth, gently massaging with the tips of his fingers until her nipple was hard and pointed.

Sighing, she kissed a line down his neck, nibbling at his collar bone and eliciting a moan of desire from him. They were soft kisses, yet full of so much emotion. The hard edges of her teeth sent a shiver across him as he tugged at the edge of her night-robe, slowly pulling it away and revealing her pale skin and the alluring tattoo. Hungrily his hands and eyes took in the soft painted skin against the paleness, softly he murmured as his lips caressed her. Archos lay close and looked at Dii; her red hair bright against the white bed linen, and naked before him, Archos knew he had never seen anyone quite as alluring as the young woman next to him. As he kissed her, the Archmage breathed in her smell and the taste of her, committing it to memory as his hands played, stroking across her softness.

Lips running across her shoulder, Archos exhaled warm breath onto her skin, making her shiver with need of him. He could see the faint red lines from the lash, now fading but still visible. He sighed, murmuring, “I should have got to you sooner.”

Fingers carefully stroked the scars as Dii kissed his neck. “Let us not talk of such things, my lord. We are here and this is now. That which is past is not for this night,” she murmured.

Nibbling at the edges of the swirling tattoo, he trailed his mouth ever so slowly across her. Dii began to sigh with pleasure as his mouth slid down to her breasts, his tongue swirling around her nipples. He breathed onto the moist skin, making her moan and arch towards him. She crept the hand on his chest around to tickle the back of his neck before she rippled little sparks of magic down him. Slowly she pulled away the fastening of his robe and the shirt beneath and then moved her hands to explore around his belly, tickling him, teasing him. Scoring softly with her nails, she rippled more magic across him.

Moaning, he pulled her close. “Magic?” he growled. “Naughty girl, using your Power to tantalise me.”

Blurb and buy links:

The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I

In a dark world where magic is illegal, and elves are enslaved a young elven sorceress runs for her life from the house of her evil Keeper. Pursued by his men and the corrupt Order of Witch-Hunters she must find sanctuary. As the slavers roll across the lands stealing elves from what remains of their ancestral home the Witch-Hunters turn a blind eye to the tragedy and a story of power, love and a terrible revenge unfolds.

*18 rated for adult scenes and violence.

Available as ebook, paperback, hardcover, large print and audiobook.

Universal Link https://www.books2read.com/Lightbeyondstorm1

The Shining Citadel – The Light Beyond the Storm – Book II

Who rules in this game of intrigue where magic is forbidden, and elves enslaved? Journey where beliefs shatter like glass, truth is unwelcome, and monsters from ancient times abound: share the romance and revenge, magic and passion, and the wages of greed in a world of darkest fantasy.

*18 rated for adult scenes and violence.

Available as ebook, paperback, hardcover, large print and audiobook.

https://www.books2read.com/ShiningCitadel

The Stolen Tower – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book III

What stalks the land cannot be but is.

Where magic is outlawed a troll Shaman calls from her deathbed to her heiress, Mirandra Var, daughter of the storm. Mirandra vows to find her missing kin, sort friend from foe, and claim the dangerous secrets guarded by unthinkable creatures. If she succeeds, she will become the leader of her tribe. If she fails, there will be no tribe to lead.

*18 rated for adult scenes and violence.

Available as ebook, paperback, hardcover, large print and audiobook.

Universal Link https://www.books2read.com/StolenTower

Author Bio and Links

British-born A. L. Butcher is an avid reader and creator of worlds, a poet, and a dreamer, a lover of science, natural history, history, and monkeys. Her prose has been described as ‘dark and gritty’ and her poetry as ‘evocative’. She writes with a sure and sometimes erotic sensibility of things that might have been, never were, but could be.

Alex is the author of the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles and the Tales of Erana lyrical fantasy series. She also has several short stories in the fantasy, fantasy romance genres with occasional forays into gothic style horror, including the Legacy of the Mask series. With a background in politics, classical studies, ancient history and myth, her affinities bring an eclectic and unique flavour in her work, mixing reality and dream in alchemical proportions that bring her characters and worlds to life.

Alex is also proud to be a writer for Perseid Press where her work features in Heroika: Dragon Eaters, Heroika Skirmishers – where she was editor and cover designer as well as writer – as well as Lovers in Hell and Mystics in Hell – part of the acclaimed Heroes in Hell series. http://www.theperseidpress.com/

Awards:

Outside the Walls, co-written with Diana L. Wicker received a Chill with a Book Reader’s Award in 2017.

NN Light Book Heaven awards:

The Kitchen Imps and Other Dark Tales won the best fantasy for 2018

Echoes of a Song – one of her Phantom tales – won the best fantasy in 2019

Tears and Crimson Velvet won the best Short Story category in 2020

Dark Tales and Twisted Verses – won the best Short Story Category in 2021

Blog https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/about-a-l-butcher-fantasy-author-poet-author-promotion/

Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/LightBeyondtheStorm/

Twitter https://twitter.com/libraryoferana/

Amazon Author Page http://amzn.to/2hK33OM

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-l-butcher

Goodreads http://bit.ly/GR2iqokvK

Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-butcher-8342ab13b/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/libraryoferana/

Tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/blog/libraryoferana

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.co.uk/abmonkey/

Books2Read newsletter sign up

https://books2read.com/author/a-l-butcher/subscribe/1/97541/

Independent Author Network https://www.independentauthornetwork.com/a-l-butcher.html

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/author?id=A.+L.+Butcher

Smashwords Author Page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ALB123

Apple Author Page https://books.apple.com/gb/author/a-l-butcher/id895849667

Apple Audiopage https://books.apple.com/us/author/a-l-butcher/id895849667#see-all/audio-books

Kobo Author Page https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/search?query=a+l+butcher

Perseid Press Author Page http://www.theperseidpress.com/?page_id=523

Barnes and Noble Author Page  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22A.%20L.%20Butcher

Swift Six Author Interview – Max Willi Fischer

Name: Max Willi Fischer

What attracts you to the genre in which you write?  As a son of German immigrants growing up in a small Ohio village named after an exotic North African seaport (Mogadore), I have always had an innate love of history. After four decades of teaching intermediate grades and middle school, I knew quality historical fiction engages students like no history text ever could. Years before I retired, I set a goal of writing at least one Y/A historical fiction novel after I retired. This September I’ll be releasing my fifth novel.

What piece of writing advice do you wish you’d known when you started your writing adventures? I had written numerous resource books for teachers during my career. Initially, I didn’t think there’d be that much difference between non-fiction and fiction. I learned about that fallacy in a hurry. “Show, don’t tell.” I dove headlong into my first novel without realizing that paramount rule of engaging readers. With some help from a local author, I started editing my manuscript to remove the telling from an omniscient narrative and replacing it with descriptive actions from the characters.

If you could have dinner with any famous person or character who would you choose? Pino Lella, the teenage hero from Mark Sullivan’s Beneath a Scarlet Sky. His incredible courage and daring in resisting the Nazis in Italy during the Germans’ inevitable retreat from the Italian peninsula seems like a page out of James Bond. However, much of the novel was based upon actual events, and I’d have liked to have interviewed the young man whose courage only grew as the danger kept confronting him.

Who has been the greatest influence on your own work? Without a doubt, my high school English teacher, Vicki Wilkerson, set my writing pursuits into motion. She got me to think for myself and realize writing was a valuable tool for my self-expression. While I choose historical topics/eras of my interest, Vicki’s influence on my literary expression has never left me.

Do you think the e-book revolution will do away with print? I think e-books will continue to grow in popularity, but I don’t envision the complete demise of printed books, at least not for some time to come. People love holding a book between their hands, and some even enjoy the smell of a freshly opened novel.

Which 3 books would you take to a desert island and why? “The Life We Bury” by Allen Eskens—The Vietnam War coincided with my late adolescence. Wrapping a murder mystery around a veteran’s recollections seems fascinating to me.

“Fever 1793” by Laurie Halse—History often repeats itself and human nature is often to blame. Although we had, for the most part, the science with which to combat Covid, over a million Americans died from it, often from wanton ignorance of or resistance to science. One of my novels deals with an 1837 epidemic of consumption (tuberculosis) in the near complete absence of science. I’d love to see how Halse approaches the same topic in a slightly different era.

“We Germans” by Alexander Starritt—A letter from a German soldier on the Russian Front to his grandson and the subsequent struggle to survive after the war poses an intriguing plot for me. My father was a master sergeant in the German Luftwaffe on the Russian Front and survived the bombing of Dresden in 1945. He never spoke of the war and its aftermath until bits and pieces came out during the last weeks of his life. I wonder how closely, if at all, this book would mirror my father’s experiences as a common German foot soldier of the time under duress.

Author bio and book synopsis

Please introduce yourself (250 words or so): Born into an immigrant family seeking new opportunity in America after World War II, I was raised in a village named after an exotic North African seaport—Mogadore, Ohio. With such a background, it’s little wonder I grew up with an inborn curiosity about history.  The first novel I ever recall reading was James Fennimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans. I spent four decades as a classroom teacher, primarily teaching sixth, seventh and eighth grade. The latter half of my career was devoted solely to the teaching of the history of the world and/or American history.

All those years in the classroom made me realize that history should be a vibrant, well- told story.  My goal in writing is to engage adolescents (and adults) with an exciting, yet accurate, view into our nation’s past.

Retired, I live with my wife and trusted four-legged companions Kole, Bunnie, Lucy, and Izzy. I enjoy rooting for my favorite sports teams, dabbling as the home-handyman, and doing some volunteer work.

Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short)

Hobbadehoy Rising (September 2023, self-published) Historical Fiction. An orphaned teen in the notorious Five Points district of lower Manhattan in 1854, Pencil is a “guttersnipe”, cursed to survive the unforgiving streets where trust is a stranger. Led by Sachem, his thieving mentor, the shady adults who surround him believe Pencil is a “hobbadehoy,” a youth who has not quite reached manhood. Even though he has been abused over the years by orphanages, reform schools, and criminals, he hasn’t lost his empathy for others . . . yet. As the lieutenant of Sachem’s pack of street rats, he craves greater control of his life. Pencil’s luck finally runs out when some unknown person’s treachery sets him up to face significant prison time.

Through a mysterious stranger, Pencil is given another opportunity when he is shipped off to Ohio on one of the first “orphan trains.” Life on the farm proves to be a different challenge under the demanding, and occasionally drunken, thumb of his new guardian, Samuel Gombert. As a one-sided romance blooms with the farmer’s much younger wife, Pencil protects the woman from the farmer’s alcoholic rage. He is forced to flee, a much stronger physical specimen than when he arrived.

Pencil ends up in Cleveland, where Miss Victoria Large, a daguerreotypist, takes him under her wing. She teaches him about capturing images on glass and copper while trying to impress upon him the importance of trust. Navigating encounters with corpses, kidnappers, and grave robbers test his acceptance of the idea … and his empathy.

The Corkscrew App (2016, Royal Fireworks Press); Historical Fiction. A mysterious time-warp app on a cell phone sends eighth-grader Justin Deveraux back to Fort Necessity and a young George Washington in 1754 where Justin learns about coming to grips with one’s mistakes.

American Brush-Off (2020, self-published); Historical Fiction. It’s 1942, and seventeen-year-old Lud Mueller is designated “a dangerous enemy alien” by the FBI as he and his family are shipped to an internment camp in the Texas desert. There, they become pawns in a secret government program that threatens to send the family to oblivion.

Revelations from the Dead: Chronicles of the Night Waster (2020, self-published); Historical Fiction. Faced with his father’s rejection, cabinetmaker’s apprentice Thomas Sullivan helps his master’s family deal with a deadly consumption epidemic in the 1830’s while uncovering the bizarre truth of the Night Waster, who allegedly is sucking the life out of the surviving family members. (No, this is not science fiction.)

The Reformation of Nate Adare (2021, self-published); Science Fiction/Historical Fiction. Fatherless for the past decade, Nate expresses his rage in various negative ways on a road to nowhere. A series of concussions awaken a dark ancestral secret, which begins to haunt him.

Links

Social media www.maxwilli.com (my author web page)

https://www.facebook.com/MWILLIFISCHER Facebook author page

https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-fischer-5b650647/ LinkedIn author page

https://www.instagram.com/maxwilliauthor/ Instagram author page

Bluestone Academy – Blog Tour #ParanormalRomance

Bluestone Academy

Bluestone Book 1

by A. Blackbird

Genre: Paranormal Academy Dark Romance

I’m just like them. I’m an elite, my brother is in with the it crowd, but I’m shunned.

Money can’t buy you everything. Well, it certainly can’t buy me acceptance in our world.

At Bluestone Academy, it doesn’t matter that I’m a witch like the rest of them.

I’m a deadblood—a witch without power.

And I pay for my acceptance into the witching school every single day.

It doesn’t end out of the doors, either.

This is my life. I’ll always be one of them, and forever be shunned—by the one I’ve loved my whole life.

Amazon * Goodreads

Hearts

Hearts & Spades Book 1

by A. Blackbird

Genre: Dark Paranormal Romance, Wonderland Retelling

Mad as hatters, here they all are. To home and from, Rose is very far.

What would you do to claw your way back to the only home you’ve ever known? How far would you go to win?

To save herself, Rose must work with a dangerous, mysterious ally Night, who might just be her greatest threat.

When the rebels attack the small Hearts village, blacksmith Rose is thrown down the forbidden well and down it, she finds the Three Sisters of horror stories and folklore. With half the village down the well, the Sisters open the doors to the Hatterthon–a deadly game of murder and survival.
If Rose ever wants to make it out alive, she must be more brutal than any other player and stick with Night–the mysterious player she’s allied with, threatens all she knows with his dangerous smiles and even deadlier eyes. In the Hatterthon, everyone is a little mad…
And the only way out is to win. By any means necessary.

HEARTS is a Wonderland retelling, hold the Alice! Set in a medieval Wonderland, this series welcomes old favourites with a dark twist to a beloved story.

Amazon * Goodreads

Hunted

by A. Blackbird

Genre: Dark Paranormal Romance, Red Riding Hood Retelling

A Dark Retelling of Little Red Riding Hood.

The villagers call her Red.
It’s the colour of her lips, her cloak, and the blood that stains her when she returns from the woods. The villagers call her Red for many reasons, but most of all, they’re too afraid to call her what she really is. Witch. But when a wolf stalks the village, Red might be the only one who can save them from the beast…the beast who has his sights set on her already. Red races against the three days until the full moon to uncover the wolf’s identity, find out what he wants from her, and save herself. To hell with the village, Red just wants to save herself. That’s what good witches do.

A dark re-telling of the old tale, where Red Riding Hood isn’t so little, and mightn’t be so good after all.

Amazon * Goodreads

“A. BLACKBIRD” is a sister penname to “Q. BLACKBIRD”

With “A”, you’ll find all the Blackbird “SOFTER STORIES” – those with less graphic scenes, put simply. Cleaner tales that still explore dark themes, and more YA friendly reads.

With “Q” – the main penname – you’ll find those darker themed tales written in gritty, dark detail. Those books don’t pull their punches!

To keep these stories and content separate for the readers, “A” and “Q” BLACKBIRD are not connected on the book pages, but if both themes are to your liking, check out Q BLACKBIRD’s best-selling series, DARK FAE BLACK WORLD!! *all the content warnings apply*

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

The Lightness of Water – Blog Tour YA #FantasyRomance

The Lightness of Water

Water Witch Book 1

by Toni Cabell

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance Adventure

The only thing more dangerous than divining for water is falling in love with the enemy…

**2022 B.R.A.G. Medallion Award**
**2022 Winner – The Wishing Shelf Book Awards**
**2022 Gold Medal – Best Fantasy Romance – Global Book Awards**

Solace is beautiful, strong-willed, and called the water witch by her neighbors. She divines for water in the arid hills of her home—a dangerous pastime across the border, where the king controls access to all the water.

Rhees is brooding, bitter, and hiding a deadly secret. But he’s determined to find a way to help the thirsty people of his land—even if it means kidnapping the last living water diviner.

But divining for water is against the law, punishable by death. Should Solace risk everything—including her heart—in a daring race to find water, or flee across the hills at her first chance of escape?

Beauty and the Beast meets The Hunger Games in this thrilling romantic fantasy. Pick up The Lightness of Water by award-winning author Toni Cabell, and be swept into a world of betrayal, mystery, and heart-stomping action.

**The Lightness of Water depicts an assault on Solace that may disturb some readers of Toni’s other Young Adult books**

Praise for The Lightness of Water:

“An exquisitely refined fantasy adventure that will keep you reading well into the night.” (Indies Today)

“A cleverly crafted fantasy packed full of mystery, adventure, and a little romance! Highly recommended.” (The Wishing Shelf)

“The Lightness of Water by Toni Cabell was a riveting novel that held my attention from the first chapter.” (Readers Favorite)

**Get it FREE June 15th – 19th!!**

Amazon * Bookbub * Goodreads

**Check out the COVER REVEAL of book 2!!**

The Way of Water

Water Witch Book 2

An unexpected guest arrives at the palace with an old claim for the new King of Toresz—but if Rhees agrees, he risks losing Solace forever.

Visitors from every land and province are traveling to Toresz for the new king’s coronation. Crown Princess MaudeLyn of Censarra arrives early. A day early, in fact. Forcing her way into the dress rehearsal, she delivers shocking news: according to the arcane laws governing royal marriage and succession, Rhees and the princess are betrothed!

Solace and Rhees part on bitter terms. Homeless and heartsick, Solace begins the arduous journey back to her father’s house. But at every stop along the way, the people hail her as the Water Witch Queen.

When tragedy strikes, and Rhees needs her one last time, will Solace stay and fight for her adopted homeland and their new king?

**PreOrder now for Only .99cents!!**

Amazon * Goodreads

“Skillfully plotted books packed full of magic, mayhem, and a plethora of dark secrets…”

(The Wishing Shelf)

An award-winning fantasy author, Toni writes the “perfect coming-of-age tale with a magical twist.” (Indies Today) Her books feature strong female protagonists, page-turning plots, and relatable characters that spring off the page.

Toni makes her home in a small village along the shores of Lake Michigan with her handsome husband and grumpy miniature schnauzer. When she told her fifth-grade teacher she wanted to be a writer, neither of them expected Toni’s journey to include stints as a nurse’s aid, personal banker, instructional designer, real estate broker, systems analyst, and youth director. Toni is thrilled to be an indie author and does at least half her writing in the middle of the night, which may explain her wild plot twists and unforgettable characters.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

$10 Amazon,

Signed Print Copy of The Lightness of Water

– 1 winner each!

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

My Book, My World

My book, My World.

Book Title: The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I

Author (s): A. L. Butcher

Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy/Fantasy Romance

Synopsis:

In a dark world where magic is illegal, and elves are enslaved a young elven sorceress runs for her life from the house of her evil Keeper. Pursued by his men and the corrupt Order of Witch-Hunters she must find sanctuary. As the slavers roll across the lands stealing elves from what remains of their ancestral home the Witch-Hunters turn a blind eye to the tragedy and a story of power, love and a terrible revenge unfolds.

18 rated for adult scenes, themes and violence.

Tell us about your characters:

Dii’Athella Ar’thina, known as Dii –is the primary female character – she’s an Elven sorceress in a world where elves are, essentially slaves, and magic is forbidden. She’s a Kept – a slave/concubine to a nobleman – Lord Joset Tremayne, who treats her very unkindly. She has no rights, not even to her own person, no property and if she leaves his lands she’s fair game for the Order of Witch-Hunters who hate all mages.

Lord Archos of Tremellic – He’s a mysterious nobleman, and an arch sorcerer who lives in a remote area of the land. He likes elves, and he and his household help elves and those who fall prey to the Slavers and Witch-Hunters where they can. Archos appears as a reclusive rich eccentric, but in reality he’s the dangerous Oncoming Storm – a thorn in the side of the slavers and the Order of Witch-Hunters.

Olek – Ostensibly the manservant and confidante of Archos, but also the feared thief/assassin known as the Shadowdancer. A half-elven male adept, weaponsmaster and alchemist he appears good natured, obsessed with food and good with a sword. A master of lies, deception and making people dead.

Ozena – a young Forest Elf who braves the human lands seeking help to find her missing sister when their village is destroyed by slavers. A huntress and scout she is adept with a bow but naïve, and sheltered.

Lord Joset Tremayne – Lord of Reldfield. A human, wealthy nobleman – and Dii’s Keeper. He has dealings with the slavers, for his own gain and pleasures and largely neglects his lands in the pursuit of his own pleasures. He is the main ‘bad guy’

Ulric Tremayne – bastard son and heir of Lord Joset, foster brother of Dii. He fears his father’s wrath, particularly towards his mother, Malana if Dii displeases Joset, goes to seek Dii to return her, but still treats her as property. He’s not a ‘bad guy’ as such, he simply does little to help Dii, or to change his father’s behaviour. He’s complacent to the situation and rather arrogant.

What is the setting?

Erana is a world of magic, tyranny, and division.

Possession of magic is illegal, but magic doesn’t know or care and goes where it likes. Most people who are magical hide it, or don’t understand that’s what it is. Maybe they are a little faster, or a better healer, or a better craftsperson than average, Many villages would have a wise woman or cunning man to offer healing, or predict the weather, or tame the beasts but such people live a precarious existence. It needs one failure, or one person to complain and the Witch-Hunters are at the door.

There are still magical creatures on the fringes, within the mountains and the Shimmering Forest and in the remote areas.

The Order of Witch-Hunters rule by divide and rule – keep the general populous hating the elves and mages and too ignorant to understand the lies – or to afraid to speak out. Slavers roam the lands – mostly looking for elves but anyone is fair game. They take human children, women and those without papers and the Witch-Hunters do nothing, unless it suits the Order. They get a cut of gold from the Slavers so it’s in the Order’s interest to maintain slavery. A fearful population is easily controlled.

After the Great Plague and the wars martial law was instigated by the rulers at the time to ‘protect’ the populus. Three-hundred years later the Order has become a corrupt and cruel organisation who aren’t planning to give up being in charge easily. There are very few people alive who can remember the time before the Plague came, or the rule of the Order.

Literacy and knowledge are not encouraged in the general population, so many people are ignorant of the reality, or believe the lies. What is truth and what is a lie are relative in Erana. The fact is the rule of the Order, the presence of the Slavers and the subjugation of the elves has been normality for a long time and most people either won’t or can’t do anything to change the status quo.

Excerpt

The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles Book I

Dii fled to a room, small and sparse, containing little more than a small bed and a wooden armoire. Setting her staff in the armoire, she removed her damp clothes and boots, changing into a patched long dark woollen skirt and petticoats with a black bodice and a grey blouse. The clothes were not clean and smelled musty but at least were dry. With luck she could trade for some more, this hamlet did not look like it came supplied with a resident apothecary. Stuffing her dagger into her belt, she hoped she would not have need of it. Barefoot whilst her boots dried, she returned to the common room to find a steaming bowl of mutton stew, fresh rolls, and a warm spiced cider. Dii heard the muttering and tried to ignore the stares and murmuring from nearby tables, and the whispers from behind her, as she began to eat.

A man moved closer to the table and hissed, “Witch, you bring the storm. You are Elfkind, so your magic must bring the storm. Do not think we tolerate your kind here. Where is your Keeper, Witch?” As he moved closer, he took a seat and snarled, “I bet you fetch a goodly price, Witch. Are you trained as a whore?” Reaching across the table, he grabbed her hair and tried to pull the young woman across it towards him.

Resisting the urge to use her magic in such a public place, she tried to squirm away, painfully tearing out a chunk of hair. “Go away! Leave me be! I am no whore, I am just a herbalist.” Before Dii had a chance to reach for the dagger, a man intervened and pulled her assailant away.

“Get home to your poor wife, Ranulf, and leave the wench alone. Elf or no, she is not for your taking if she refuses,” said the bystander. “He is nothing but an ignorant fool, miss. He will not be a bother again. From what I hear, he could not have made good his threat anyway,” continued the man.

Ranulf skulked away, muttering and slamming the door. Dii’s protector went and sat alone at his table. Watching the elf, he said, “I like my own company, miss. I am not the social type, but I will not see a woman threatened.” He drained his mug and, taking one last glance at the pretty elf, he ventured back through the storm to his own dwelling in the smithy.

Dii and her friends appear in the following.

Book links and synopses

The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book I

In a dark world where magic is illegal, and elves are enslaved a young elven sorceress runs for her life from the house of her evil Keeper. Pursued by his men and the corrupt Order of Witch-Hunters she must find sanctuary. As the slavers roll across the lands stealing elves from what remains of their ancestral home the Witch-Hunters turn a blind eye to the tragedy and a story of power, love and a terrible revenge unfolds.

18 rated.

https://www.books2read.com/Lightbeyondstorm1

Ebook (all the major ebook stores), audiobook, paperback, hardcover, large print. Other language versions available in ebook

The Shining Citadel – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book II

Who rules in this game of intrigue where magic is forbidden, and elves enslaved? Journey where beliefs shatter like glass, truth is unwelcome, and monsters from ancient times abound: share the romance and revenge, magic and passion, and the wages of greed in a world of darkest fantasy.

(18 rated)

Universal Link https://www.books2read.com/ShiningCitadel

Ebook (all the major ebook stores), audiobook, paperback, hardcover, large print. Other language versions available in ebook.

The Stolen Tower – The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles – Book III

What stalks the land cannot be, but is.

Where magic is outlawed a troll Shaman calls from her deathbed to her heiress, Mirandra Var, daughter of the storm. Mirandra vows to find her missing kin, sort friend from foe, and claim the dangerous secrets guarded by unthinkable creatures. If she succeeds, she will become the leader of her tribe. If she fails, there will be no tribe to lead.

Universal Link https://www.books2read.com/StolenTower

Ebook (all the major ebook stores), audiobook, paperback, hardcover, large print. Other language versions available in ebook.